HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, July 7 voted to form a De-Regionalization Feasibility Committee.

“People have been talking about it and it’s something we at least have to explore,” Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell said about his decision to place the issue on the meeting agenda. He argued the board should decide how many and what type of members they should name to any committee.

Mitchell advocated at least one selectman and a member of the Finance Committee and three residents at-large be named to the committee.

“Don’t make it big and cumbersome,” Selectman Wes Blauss said, favoring a five-member committee. “Keep it as streamlined as possible.”

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested the committee title — it was originally referred to as the De-Regionalization Committee.

“I think, if you name it a de-regionalization committee, it seems as though it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re going to de-regionalize instead of that you’re going to look at the feasibility of de-regionalization,” she said. “We are not advocating for de-regionalization, we are looking into the feasibility. Just to be clear.”

Mitchell said naming the committee was one of the discussion topics he had in mind.

FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed with a five-member committee.

“Keep it lean and mean,” she said.

Selectman Jim Hickey volunteered to represent the board, and he Finance Committee will be asked to name a member. The vacancies for the at-large seats will be posted on the town website (hanson-ma.gov) for those interested to use in applying.

Indicating that she is aware of several people interested in serving, and acknowledging that other selectmen no doubt do as well, FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about the appointment process. Mitchell suggested a date be set next month for the board to review applications they receive in the intervening weeks — as is the normal practice for filling vacancies on appointed boards and commissions. Town Administrator John Stanbrook will meet with applicants first.

Hickey suggested it could take two-to-three months for any kind of report to come back to selectmen. He has already spoken to officials in Pembroke, which pulled out of the Silver Lake Regional School District, and is waiting to talk to the Finance Committee.

Mitchell suggested a cutoff date of Aug. 4 for applications with the aim that the board would make appointments on Aug. 11.

“I don’t want to make up figures,” he said. “We know what [the W-H region] is going to cost this year, but what’s it going to cost next year? What’s it going to cost in year three? By the time we get to year five is it so much money to Hanson that we don’t have a choice?”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, in addition to financial considerations, the committee will need help from Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff about the legal ramifications of disbanding.

“Two to three months is ambitious, but go for it,” she said of the work Hickey envisions ahead.

Selectman Matt Dyer suggested giving the committee until the spring 2021 Town Meeting to present a report and wondered if a School Committee member should also be appointed. FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested a resident active in the schools, but not a member of the School Committee should be appointed.

In other business, the town received a letter from a national lawsuit against Purdue Pharmaceutical’s bankruptcy case relating to the opioid epidemic. Hanson is included in the class-action suit and were required to opt out if Selectmen don’t want the town included by July 15. Hanson could receive more than $6 million, but only a small amount of claims in the $2 trillion would likely be received by the town. No action was required to stay in the lawsuit that would cost noting to stay in.

HANSON — Town officials are looking into options for going ahead with public hearings delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said she has received several calls from the Zoning Board of Appeals as well as various other boards and commissions about the public hearings that have been delayed. Hanson is further hampered by its technology limitations, as virtual meetings must allow for public participation — not just listening in or watching from home.

“They have to, in real time, be able to ask questions and voice their concerns and positions,” Feodoroff said.

As a result, Hanson’s list of delayed public hearings is long, Feodoroff said, with some of them some near to a conclusion. One was already decided, but a public session was required to ratify the written conclusion.

She raised the issue with Hanson Health Agent Gil Amado and emailed the state Department of Public Health, which said they viewed the meetings as not an essential service, and still governed by the state’s 10-person limit for public gatherings. Gov. Charlie Baker’s most recent order did not address public hearings by municipalities, instead covering the legislative process — town meetings — Feodoroff said.

Regular Board of Selectmen meetings are considered executive board meetings and do not come under the order permitting in-person meetings unless it is an emergency.

Her email to the DPH epidemiologist argued the hearings were an essential service, which is interfering with other critical services such as construction and development.

The DPH deferred to Amado as the local health agent.

After discussing the issue with Amado and Town Administrator John Stanbrook to develop two options: hold hearings outside or at a school.

Outside meetings held at night raise problems from mosquitos, heat and other weather conditions and adequate lighting.

Amado said he would contact WHRSD Facilities Director Ernest Sandland about the possibility of using the Hanson Middle School to ensure social distancing of hearing participants.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she was “mystified” be the problem as Planner Deb Pettey had applied for a Zoom account that provides functionality to display documents on the screen.

“Planning just had a meeting last week using it,” FitzGerald-Kemmett. “It may be that people do not know how to use it … I understand there is a learning curve.”

She said she was also concerned about whether using the school facilities would incur COVID-related cleaning costs after the hearings.

“I like this plan, I just think that there’s another option, and it should be fully explored before incurring any costs to have meetings at the schools,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Feodoroff said the Zoom purchase was news to her and that she has worked meetings that way, saying they work well. Amado had not heard about it, either.

Selectman Matt Dyer asked if the concerns Feodoroff raised about outdoor hearings applied to the town’s plan to hold its annual Town Meeting outside.

“There are actually no right answers,” she said. “I’ve been to two town meetings that were inside and, I have to say there were some hairy moments, because the town meetings are well-attended — better attended than in other years, for whatever reason.”

At one of those meetings, some people either refused to wear a mask or stay in mask-free areas, she said.

“I’m not opposed to an outdoor town meeting,” Feodoroff said. “I think it’s a better solution, although it does come with risks.”

She was discussing the matter with Town Moderator Sean Kealy

The School Committee on Monday, June 29 discussed the current budget picture under a 1/12 budget.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak clarified that the 6-4 vote in December was to provide him and Assistant Superintendent George Ferro with a method of assessment to bring to the communities in February.

The schools began working within a 1/12 budget on Wednesday, July 1 — using fiscal ’21 cherry sheet numbers — puts the operating budget for Hanson, under the state-required statutory method, at $11,397,219.16 and for Whitman, it would be $14,259,517.84.

The Hanson’s overall assessment under a 1/12 budget, with $350,000 in excess and deficiency and another $700,000 in circuit breaker money, would be $11,156,979.16 and Whitman’s would be $13,899,757.84.

Using fiscal 2020 numbers, with no E&D funds, overall assessment under a 1/12 budget would be $11,374,413.46 and Whitman’s would be $14,392,243.54. If the commissioner allows the district to use E&D, circuit breaker and cherry sheet funds, Hanson’s would be $11,134,173.46 and Whitman’s would be $14,032,483.54.

The fiscal ’21 budget sent to the communities was $55,320,238 and the compromise assessment was $11,745,020.21 for Hanson and $16,206,216.79 — using E&D and circuit breaker funds.

Szymaniak still wants to use those numbers at town meetings.

“It was a non-binding vote,” Szymaniak said of the 6-4 vote. “The only binding vote can be a two-thirds majority of the … School Committee on the vote and the assessment methodology.”

He stressed that the 9-1 vote was not statutory and was not an agreement, it was an amendment to the agreement put forth in May to both communities for the fiscal 2021 budget. Both communities, in turn, have to approve the method of assessment at both town meetings.

Szymaniak said Christine Lynch of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) told him there was nothing illegal about that vote.

“It’s challenging to explain that,” he said. “But the only way a budget comes out of committee is two-thirds majority. This committee voted a two-thirds majority [for] the compromise, which was a combination of statutory and agreement, and you voted a budget. It was 9-1.”

Lynch confirmed that the committee did nothing wrong. Only 10 regional districts in the state are now using the agreement methods with DESE now requiring boards of selectmen to sign off on it when their towns approve it.

Given financial storm clouds they see on the horizon, committee members did not favor taking any more money out of excess and deficiency — which is needed for emergency expenses.

Business Manager John Tuffy said the commissioner of education will set a budget that represents an expenditure limit. It doesn’t tell what the funds can be spent on — just the total amount that can be spent based on the current fiscal 2020 budget.

Payroll adjustments will be needed because of the cost of salaries that won’t be met by the 1/12 budget, Szymaniak said. The law requires that, without a budget, all non-professional status teachers had to be sent a reduction in force letter until a budget is approved. The district sent out 117 RIF letters.

“We never said we were reducing 117 teachers,” said Committee Chairman Bob Hayes. “Hear me clearly, we never said that. We said we were reducing in force roughly 40 teachers and staff.”

“This wasn’t a bluff,” Szymaniak said. “That’s not a tactic I’m going to use.”

The disctrict has also been reduced in bond rating from a AA to AA- based on the low level of cash in excess and deficiency.

Szymaniak began his report to the committee by commenting on “vile” remarks about and photos of him posted on social media over the weekend.

“It’s First Amendment rights and I’m not going to tell people to not express themselves,” he said. “But I really wanted to thank the members of both communities who emailed me and Facebook messaged me [as] a show of support in the values and ethics that I put forward and the commitment that I have for the kids of both of these communities.”

Re-opening plans

The district is being asked by the state to formulate multiple re-opening plans — fully remote, a hybrid plan, full day with restrictions and home school. [See page 2].

The first day of school has been pushed back to Sept. 8 with teachers given a start date of Aug. 27 and 28 and three professional development days Sept. 1 to 3. Snow days will be used as remote learning days.

“Parent still aren’t sure of the difference between remote school and home school,” Szymaniak said.

To home school children, parents must submit a letter to the district asking permission to do so along with the curriculum they plan to use, while remote learning is the school’s teacher-driven distance learning program used this spring. Home-schooled children do not receive any school services.

Hybrid programs could, for example, bring students into school one week and teach remotely at home the next.

“It’s kind of nightmarish because we don’t know how many of our teachers are going to feel comfortable coming back to school to teach during COVID-19,” he said. “We don’t know how many students are going to be sent to school by their parents during this pandemic.”

Parents and teachers have been asked to complete a survey to glean that information. All plans must be submitted to DESE by mid-July.

Szymaniak said transportation arrangements are not yet decided.

“We don’t know how many of our staff are going to be returning,” he said. The prospect of laying off about two dozen teachers in the worst budget scenario “really challenges us.”

Measuring distances in actual classrooms, Szymaniak said it appears about 20 students can be fit into a high school classroom, but they have not yet done the elementary school. Class size — to be determined by the budget — will have an effect on that.

“We may not have enough staff,” he said. The district expected to hear the 1/12 budget number by June 30. A $250 per student stipend to cover PPE costs is also being worked on by the state. State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke, is also working on funding of between $250,000 and $300,000 to beef up technology for remote learning.

Parents were asked to please return the survey to help make determinations on how the plans will be designed.

Szymaniak said the district is slowly working toward opening summer programs, but building use programs will not be allowed at the high school — except for district-run camps.

New faces

The W-H Regional School Committee welcomed its newest members, 19-year-old David Forth Jr., of Whitman, and Hillary Kniffen of Hanson — and congratulated returning incumbent member Steve Bois during the reorganizational meeting.

Szymaniak, presiding until a chairman was elected, also thanked Whitman’s Alexandria Taylor for her six years of service and Hanson’s Robert O’Brien Jr., for his nine years of work on the committee. Taylor was narrowly defeated in the Saturday, June 27 town elections and O’Brien opted not to seek re-election.

“It’s not an easy task, as those who have been here for many years know, but it is rewarding and you are here for the students,” Hayes said in his welcoming remarks to Kniffen and Forth.

“It’s great to see new faces on the committee,” Szymaniak said. “This is a great team to be on.”

The School District is still looking at a Friday, July 31 date for the Class of 2020 graduation ceremony, according to Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak.

“Right now, the location looks to be outside of the stadium on the JV baseball/softball fields,” he said. The location permits the construction of staging while keeping graduates physically distanced from each other.

“We’re looking at numbers of tickets per graduate and putting families in groups or blocks six feet apart from others,” he said. Only Principal Dr. Christopher Jones and student speakers will be on stage at proper distances. “But we will try to make is as elegant and as celebratory as we can for the Class of 2020.”

While the ceremony is expected to begin at 6 p.m., Szymaniak cautioned that it would be “pretty warm,” as it takes place in the middle of summer.

“We moved it from the football field so it wouldn’t absorb as much heat … the challenge right now is having enough power to power up our audio system,” he said.

Details on the event will be forthcoming as it is “a work in progress.”

School officials will also try to gradually reopen some summer school programs, including coach-sponsored youth sports clinics, school-related camps such as Science Camp are “on the block” and the YMCA program is going to use Duval, where the North River Collaborative will also use classrooms. Strict guidelines set up by the Mass. Department of Public Health will be followed.

“We thought it was important … to make sure we get some kids involved in some things this summer to get them re-acclimated socially with peers and have some fun since many summer camps are closed,” Szymaniak said. He is looking to mid-July or August to get camp programs going.

The state enters re-opening Phase 3 after Monday, July 4.

Szymaniak said the state safety protocols do not now require temperature checks, but all others, including distancing, masks and hand-washing will be observed.

“All the camps and clinics will be un by people that are accountable to us,” Szymaniak said about the potential for leasing the high school’s facilities to boost revenue flow. “I’m very hesitant — and I’m going to leave this up to the committee — to discuss and potentially vote on.”

He recommended not opening buildings for such use until after Labor Day and when school is back in session and new guidelines are known.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) for the new school year are estimated to be about $460 per student, or a $1.8 million expense as the district tries to plan for next year as a complete picture of state guidelines are not yet available.

“We won’t be able to control the folks who come into our performing arts center,” Szymaniak said. “We won’t be able to trace somebody if someone ends up getting sick at an event that we have.”

Committee member Fred Small suggested such a situation could leave the district open to liability, which Szymaniak said was exactly his concern and he is asking people who want to rent the facility to be patient.

Committee member Dan Cullity argued the district would not be in a position to make leasing worth the cost of maintaining cleanliness and that the district’s main concern should be getting students back to class.

The committee voted 9-0 to support Szymaniak’s recommendation to close the high school to outside groups until after school re-opens.

Szymaniak said parents and staff are being surveyed about their experience with remote learning this spring, to plan in case it is required for part of the next school year.

Hanson Committee member Mike Jones asked how town meetings would be affected, as both towns are looking at the high school for the sessions. Szymaniak said the gym can fit more than 300 socially-distanced people, with room for almost 125 more in the performing arts center — and that both towns can be accommodated for an outdoor event, as well, he said. Local attendees would also make contact tracing easier, according to Szymaniak.

Budget

A budget Q & A document, used as talking points at a recent meeting of the Whitman Finance Committee, is being posted on the district website to provide information for residents and officials to refer to going into town meetings, including staff reductions and resulting class sizes.

“I implore anybody, if you have any questions, to please contact the superintendent or administration — not for people to be sitting in a meeting and saying, ‘Well, the superintendent can do this …,’” Small said. “When, in fact, its not true, they don’t know what they are talking about and it’s very frustrating.”

The 10-page document is also the subject of an informational half-hour cable show on WHCA-TV hosted by School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes in conversation with Whitman member Christopher Scriven and Hanson member Christopher Howard.

“It’s a dangerous precedent to just float numbers out there when there are really other true numbers, that the true, hard facts come through at,” Hayes said.

“I will not respond to questions on social media,” Szymaniak said. “I will only respond by email or phone call.”

Committee member Dawn Byers urged the committee to keep their eyes on the education they are providing.

“Education should level the playing field, so our budget is something that we’re presenting to prepare kids to compete with our area kids,” she said, concerned about regression by the fall among children whose families can’t afford tutoring or other technology, educational or social-emotional assistance. She also noted years in which she sat in the audience at meetings watching services to children funded last.

“I watched as the leftovers of the municipal budget went to the school as if it was an insignificant piece of the town,” she said. “This district has been an excellent partner to both towns. This district has negotiated every year — unfortunately, some years, negotiating down and cutting the budget.”

She cautioned that excess and deficiency has to be used as a budget safety net and made a motion to meet with the Mass. Association of School Committees to set up a series of workshop to set goals for student achievement, establishing all-day kindergarten and budgetary goals for 2023.

The motion was not supported because other committee members argured, Szymaniak is already working on a strategic plan while the towns are stuggling to fund a level-service budget.

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, June 9 decided to again delay reopening Cranberry Cove and Camp Kiwanee until they see a clear plan, including the financial impact, from the Recreation Comission.

“The financial impact is crucial to this,” argued Selectman Wes Blauss. “There are times when that parking lot is a public menace [even without physical distancing requirements] and requires policing.”

He said he can envision the cove closing again if it does open because of issues at the gate with kid gatekeepers.

“We’re talking young college kids who are going to be dealing with belligerent families who want their people on the beach, now,” Blauss said. “It’s that volatile a situation.”

Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan recommended keeping the cove closed for the season as it is not taking in revenue this year and will require more town financial assistance next year.

Recreation Director William Boyle said, since the cove is fenced in, it falls within regulations limiting attendance for confined spaces to 10 persons at a time, according to the governor’s reopening guidelines.

“I know there is also another memorandum out there about coastal and inland beaches, so right now it’s up for discussion whether or not the Cove is allowed to go to that 12-foot rule between beach towels and no more than 10 persons per beach towel,” Boyle said. “But that would get very tricky very quickly down at the cove.”

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff, who views the cove as an inland beach said, agreed with Boyle’s summation. She added that unlike the 6-foot distance required for other social settings proper physical distance at a beach is now 12 feet between groups on towels.

“How many groups [are admitted] really depends on your square-footage. … This doesn’t have to be exact,” she said, however, but the beach needs a plan as to how people would be seated.

Matt Dyer said the beach is .3 acres or about 13,000 square feet.

“I think your pretty well above the 10 person limit,” Feodoroff said.

“We need to try to balance the health and safety of everyone with the need for people to have that recreation,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “We’ve got a lot of pent-up demand and a lot of people staying home this year are not leaving to go vacationing.”

Recreation Commission member Diane Cohen said they were waiting for more guidance from the governor as to what phase-in category the beach fell under. Once admission limits are determined they can map out the beach to determine how many people the cove can handle.

“I do want clarification as to what happens when people go in the water, particularly children,” Cohen said, noting younger kids tend to play in groups by the docks.

Feodoroff said she would need more guidance from the state as well adding that enforcement will be hard.

Another issue of concern for Cohen and her commission is trespassing, which has already been a problem. Cohen suggested more control of beach access is possible by opening than not.

“People are swimming there every day,” said Recreation Commission member John Zucco. “I don’t know how you enforce that or what’s going on. … Are you going to tell people they can’t come in because we’ve got people swimming already?”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the rules have to be enforced once it does open, but hoped an officer will not be necessary.

Boyle said that the loss of season passes and swim lessons, it cost the Recreation Commission $17,000.

Recreation Commission member Brian Fruzetti argued for passing over the issue because the Recreation Commission has not met on it.

“You’ve got a lot of safety things all rolled into one here,” Fruzetti said.

Selectmen said they were not willing to make a decision until they see a plan from the Recreation Commission.

“I think it’s a really tricky operation to try to open up without a social distancing component,” said Selectman Matt Dyer. “I think it’s important for the Recreation Commission to do their best to open it up at some point. I’m a true believer in having a local swimming hole is very important for the health of our town.”

If it can’t open he said it is important to help families come up with other resources.

Fields open

Selectmen also joined their Whitman counterparts in green-lighting use of fields for youth baseball as softball.

Paul Clark, president of Hanson Little League attended to “see what we have to do to get the fields open” for the season.

Feodoroff said state guidelines are trying to prevent close contact such as football, FitzGerald-Kemmett said youth baseball has been the only sport to apply for permission so far.

Selectmen voted to approve the proposal Clark outlined for youth baseball as well as girls’ softball.

Parents will be provided safety guidelines, including bringing their own equipment and physical distancing from the state and youth baseball. No kids will be permitted in the dugout in either stage 2 or stage 3. An email was sent out offering refunds for those who want them and the season has been canceled for the youngest division of play.

“What I was impressed with is the younger instructional teams,” Selectman Jim Hickey said.

Clark said the “games” will be more along the lines of instructional drills.

Anti-racism vigil

Selectmen also approved a request to hold a Resisting Racism vigil from 5 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 19 at Town Hall Green. The event was originally planned for Saturday, June 13, but organizers Dias, Juvelyn Hartwig of the Recreation Commission, and Marianne DiMascio of Green Hanson and the Plymouth County Reuse Committee, have indicated more time was needed for the work of organizing the event.

Police Chief Michael Miksch has asked to be kept updated on the number of people expected to permit adequate staffing.

Dyer asked for more information about it, which Dias said is modeled after Whitman’s vigil held Sunday, June 7.

“We only want to do it for an hour at Town Hall Green and, we would only have speakers and then walk around the green, so it wouldn’t go off-site anywhere,” she said. “It’s just a matter of getting people together to talk about the issues that have come up recently and how we can learn to communicate better and a variety of other things. … To show we can begin to work together and to begin to work toward some changes.”

Dyer asked about physical distancing precautions. Dias said there is plenty of opportunity for distancing on the grounds of the Town Hall Green.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about masks and after-event cleanup Dias said masks would be required.

“At this point, in any gathering, you have to be sure to wear a mask,” she said.

Participants would be required to stay on the green, as well.

Whitman’s Board of Selectmen, meeting Monday, June 1, Town Administrator Frank Lynam said Town Counsel had asked to amend the Regional Agreement amendment due to concerns over clarity of how accurately the process had been outlined.

The proposed amendment provides for a 50-50 split of the W-H assessment for fiscal 2021 only and thereafter moves to the full statutory method.

“That was the problem with the language, because it really isn’t 50/50,” Lynam said. “It’s 50/50 of the difference.”

Lynam said two copies of the agreement — one the original from W-H and the other Whitman’s recommended language received Sunday, May 31 — are posted on the town website whitman-ma.gov.

Language changes allow amendments up to a Town Meeting vote, according to Lynam, providing the ability to make changes if there is no uniform agreement with the school district and Hanson, but enables placing it before Town Meeting for action.

Selectman Dan Salvucci asked if he was precluded from speaking against an item on the warrant, as the amendment is, if he disagrees with it.

“This is not a collective bargaining issue where we’ve entered an agreement and now have to present it for approval after we’ve ratified it,” Lynam said. “This is a proposed amendment. We’re all free to speak as we may choose.”

Lynam said the board’s vote to accept the amendment and the W-H budget are conditioned on whether Hanson accepts the agreement and funds the resulting appropriation. Whitman’s affirmative vote at Town Meeting would accept the “50/50” split.

“I think what our lawyer has done in drafting the language for Article 7, has taken care of the questions that we had last week,” Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said.

HANSON

Hanson Selectmen did not vote on recommending the amendment to the 1991 regional agreement and the override facing the town, but several agreed the town’s hands are tied, financially.

Town Administrator John Stanbrook on Tuesday, May 26 and Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan led a discussion on the issue. Sullivan said his concern centered on the effects of the changing timeline and COVID-19 delays on the standard negotiating window.

“This is the first time I’ve ever experienced this,” Sullivan said. “I’m fearful that this is the best deal we’re going to get, and I hope — at a very minimum — the citizens of Hanson realize that regardless of how we got here or the tempers that are flaring on both sides, there’s a very real possibility that this is the best deal we’re going to get.”

Sullivan said he is working to set up a couple of informational events to advocate for the override, not for the benefit of the school district but for the overall financial health of the town.

“The worst-case scenario is pretty dire, and I think people need to just take that into consideration,” he said. “I’ve never been a fan of an override, but I think this is a unique one-off circumstance.”

Selectman Matt Dyer said he would like to see an additional year of compromise under the post-COVID “new normal” before going to the full statutory formula.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said the amendment precludes further compromise, which Stanbrook confirmed.

“I think, at this point, that ship has sailed, said Selectman Kenny Mitchell. “We need the override.”

Mitchell said if the override fails, Hanson faces potential cuts to public safety.

Selectmen Jim Hickey and Wes Blauss favored placing the issue before the voters, but Hickey did not agree with the compromise on balance, based on Whitman’s retaining a 6-4 majority on the School Committee. Blauss argued the board was not obligated to support the compromise because it is Town Meeting and Town Election voters and the state is likely to support the statutory formula.

“Of course I’m going to vote for the override, because I see there’s no possible way for the town of Hanson to move on,” Blauss said. “I’m just infuriated, as are most of us, that we’ve been put in this position.”

He argued that Hanson has always been the less wealthy of the two towns and has practically no commercial base. As a former teacher, however, who educated younger members of the police and fire departments who would be among the first to face layoffs in the event of budget cuts, he felt there is no other choice.

HANOVER — The South Shore Tech Regional School Committee on Wednesday, May 20, saluted school staff members who have worked to produce personal protective equipment for hospitals and first responders as well as students.

Cohassett member George Cooney did not join in the conference call.

Engineering instructor Jerry Shaw, paraprofessional Lisa Bellontoni, and community liaison Paul Bello were lauded for their work in making 3,000 PPE face shields over the past two months.

“They have given up their own time to come into school to make PPE,” said Principal Mark Aubrey. “They are winding down, but we’ve been able to supply, just on the backs of these people, from fire departments to hospitals all over the South Shore. … We’ve been able to give and give and give and it’s been great.”

Aubrey said the school wanted to recognize the time they’ve given up and their expertise.

Paraprofessional and support staff member Rachel Haynes was also lauded for her efforts to support teachers in virtual classrooms and working with students in small-group hangouts online.

“She has gone as far as to copy work and mail it to the students so that they have the work that they need to complete their [assignments],” Aubrey said.

Guidance Counselor Todd has also been a key to supporting students during remote learning, according to Aubrey.

“He’s really the conduit between the families, the students and the teacher, and he’s doing a great job,” Aubrey said. “He has a very difficult job — he’s never going to make everybody happy, but that’s not his job. His job is to do what’s best for the kid and he understands that.”

Zahurak has also been instrumental in improving the number of students participating in the school’s breakfast program.

Assistant Principal Sandra Baldner also lauded teachers and staff for creating the new normal for the school’s operations during the pandemic.

She also praised the district’s paraprofessionals.

“They have been extraordinary in supporting our teachers and have done an amazing job supporting students,” she said.

She also reported that the culinary department transformed the perishable food items left in the kitchen at the close of the school building in March into 500 meals for Abington and Norwell councils on aging and the Marshfield Boys and Girls Club.

“Our parents have been allies in this as well,” said Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey. “It’s really about old-school communication and outreach … combined with the latest technology in an attempt to reach kids.”

The school loaned out about 150 devices and will make the purchase of more a goal with the federal CARES funds.

The state has not yet issued guidelines for reopening school in the fall, but Hickey said sufficient PPE supplies will be a focus as well as plans for trade instruction that requires hands-on work by students.

Graduation has been scheduled to 10 a.m., Saturday, June 27. But prom has not yet been decided, but Aubrey said he should have more information about it in two weeks.

“We’re hoping the South Shore Music Circus will be the venue and we will prepare as normal a graduation as possible,” said Hickey. An online recognition of the senior class will be held on Friday, June 5.

A virtual welcome for rising freshmen is also being planned for eighth-graders attending the school next year later this month. June 12 is the last official day of the school year.

The committee held its annual hearing on school choice, voted against participating in the school choice program because the district has an established process of admitting students who do not reside in the district.

Regarding the fiscal 2021 school budget, Hickey said the district’s original budget, which was based on the governor’s budget numbers, may look different when the House Ways & Means numbers come out by July 1.

“We’ve generally been able to count on Chapter 70 money not being less but, at this point nobody’s been able to say that with confidence,” he said. “It will be a very unusual summer, financially.”

The district is preparing a template for a 1/12 budget to hedge against potential problems at the town meeting level. It takes six affirmative town meeting votes to confirm a budget. Some communities have town meeting set for June, but Hanson has delayed its Town meeting until July 20. Whitman’s will be June 22. Other communities have not set dates at all.

“I am not immediately concerned with a 1/12 budget, as it might take us through the summer,” Hickey said. The budget can be reassessed when the Ways & Means numbers are released, giving towns the ability to set town meetings and enact their plans.

An outdoor graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 is being planned for July 31 — rain or shine — at the WHRHS football field, depending on social distancing rules at that time, according to Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak.

But first, the seniors will get a car parade send-off on Friday, May 29.

“I don’t know what [commencement] is going to look like yet, I don’t know if we’ll be able to have everyone in attendance, or if we’re going to stage it like the Air Force Academy did, with just the graduates spaced six feet apart [there],” he said. “I’m hoping by July 31 our restrictions are a little less — we will still maintain social distancing and everything — but we’re really looking at a live graduation on July 31.”

Plans can be modified if things shift in the next month or so, but Szymaniak said the ceremony is what seniors said they wanted in a recent video meeting with him.

W-H principal Dr. Christopher Jones, with the assistance of both towns’ police and fire personnel, delivered graduation lawn signs to seniors’ homes the week of May 4.

A Senior Class car parade, set for 1:30 p.m., Friday, May 29 is planned to pass by each school in the district to allow seniors to thank teachers. Whitman and Hanson police and fire personnel will be “actively involved in the send-off as well, Szymaniak said.

Hanson Middle School has scheduled a similar parade for their eighth-graders in June and Whitman Middle School is planning something similar.

“The senior class has asked that all school and teachers be represented, meaning all teachers at the elementary and middle [teachers as well], will be staged at different areas of the high school parking lot, from the tennis courts up to the loop – building-specific, so seniors can drive through and say goodbye to their teachers,” Szymaniak said. “Wave goodbye and do a real senior send-off on the 29th, which would have been graduation day.”

A virtual scholarship awards ceremony will be held and live-streamed on Saturday, June 30.

Commissioner of Education Jeffrey C. Riley issued new remote learning standards earlier this month, called power standards, which Szymaniak described as “just diving down deeper into the core of what we were already doing.”

Instead of review, teachers across the district are diving deeper into the curriculum and principals are working on how students will be assessed and graded on report cards. Grading will be credit or no credit at the high school and a pass/fail system is being looked at for the middle school and elementary levels.

To close out the school year, students have to pick up belongings left at school since March 15 and teachers still have to close out classrooms.

Principals will be establishing a time frame for teachers to come in and pack up all student materials into bags for a drive-up parent pickup much like what was done when Chromebooks were issued. High school seniors will go first on May 26 and 27. Elementary and middle school teachers will report to their buildings that week to pack up their classrooms and students’ belongings.

Building-specific parent pickup times will be scheduled for the week of June 1 to 5.

“We need our Chromebooks returned … June 11 and 12,” he said. There are close to 700 Chromebooks out and the district wants to ensure they are all returned with as little damage as possible.

HVAC project

Interim Business Manager John Tuffy reported that the $500,000 ban debt remaining for the Hanson school HVAC project will be rolled over on May 28. He said it does not add to the district budget or debt burden, it is just a routine rollover already accounted for in next year’s budget.

The School Committee voted to rescind a Feb. 26 vote for a Whitman Middle School feasibility study and warrant article in favor of new language from bond council that includes authorization to borrow.

“What has happened a little bit is Whitman has changed how they’re going to do their funding source, as I understand it,” said School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes.

“The town of Whitman, facing a severe revenue crunch, does not have the available funds to pay for it out of free cash, as they were going to once do,” said Committee member Fred Small. He said they plan bans similar to the HMS HVAC project — a three-year ban — to fund the feasibility study.

Tuffy concurred with Small’s description, explaining that bond counsel has presented Whitman with the option of using free cash or borrowing the money. Town officials are discussing a three-year loan, but the final decision is up to Town Meeting.

Small also reported that the Whitman Finance Committee held a brief discussion on the matter Tuesday, May 12, and that it has also gone through the facilities subcommittee.

“There’s revenue issues in every town across the commonwealth,” he said.

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen after a joint meeting with the Finance Committee on Tuesday, May 5, voted 4-1 to reaffirm the statutory method for school budgeting this year. Later in the meeting, however, Selectman Randy LaMattina argued for a reconsideration that, while not approved, left the door open to hearing out any Hanson compromise.

Selectman Justin Evans, who represents Whitman on the regional agreement amendment panel, dissented from the vote to reaffirm the statutory formula.

“I can’t see this as anything but punishing the schools for a disagreement with another town,” he said. “I’d like the opportunity to continue and present something to this board before we vote it down.”

“To now paint the town of Hanson as the enemy is wrong,” LaMattina said.

The meeting was conducted via Zoom meeting and recorded for playback on the Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV YouTube cannel.

Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson advocated the end of negotiations for a compromise as a way to move other business forward.

Finance Committee member Kathleen Ottina, who has extensively researched the assessment formula issue according to Anderson, said the statutory method was never properly enforced.

“People … never took the time to do the math,” she said. “Over the course of the last six fiscal years, Whitman has already paid $4.1 million that would have been paid by our partner town had the statutory method been enforced.”

She said that she has tried to “nicely inform” to finance committee chairmen in both towns that the real problem is the loss of $3 million in Chapter 70 money for Hanson, which has increased their minimum local contribution to the school district.

“We can’t go back in terms of suing, or trying to recapture, that money apparently, but we certainly can’t go forward and continuing to subsidize Hanson’s bill,” Ottina said. “Whitman people should be paying Whitman’s bills and Hanson people should be paying Hanson’s bills.”

She said she is not convinced that any type of compromise is in the best interests of the Whitman taxpayers.

“We don’t get aid we don’t need, so we don’t have aid we can give away,” agreed Finance Committee member Rosemary Connelly. “The aid is very specific to the need of the town.”

She said paying Hanson’s bills was part of the reason Whitman can’t provide cost of living increases to its town employees.

Evans said Hanson has made it clear that they do not plan to fully fund the school budget.

“They’ve given numbers that they say they can afford, and they don’t plan on exceeding those numbers,” he said. “In trying to find our way out of this situation we can either let Hanson underfund the school system and meet our statutory obligation [by laying] off teachers in that scenario, forcing a 1/12 budget by voting down the budget or letting Hanson vote the budget down, or we can make up the difference and protect the schools and the students from a dispute between the towns.”

He has been seeking one-time relief that includes the four teachers in the elementary schools cut from the budget last year as his conditions to move the towns forward.

“The town of Whitman is being taken for a ride with this entire charade,” Anderson said, arguing that the regional agreement amendment panel does the work it was formed to do — amending the agreement that are in the best interests of the students, faculty and both towns that serve the district. He asked what kind of figures Hanson has provided.

“It took a very long time to even getting a number from the Town Administrator for what they were able to afford this year — or willing to afford, or however you want to say it — and I only got that number this past week,” Evans said.

“That’s part of the charade that I grow increasingly tired of every single day,” Anderson said. “It’s time for them to educate their citizens about how they need to pay their bills. We’re not going to pay Hanson’s bills.”

Evans said, if the statutory method is where the district will end up, there shouldn’t be a need to lay off teachers to get there. Connelly said such a move is already unnecessary.

“We are willing to fund,” she said. “So it’s not us.”

She said that she has watched a video of a September 2017 Hanson Selectmen meeting that proved the board knew about the assessment formula then.

Anderson said information on what Hanson can afford, coming from the town administration gives no indication about the taxpayers’ willingness or ability to pay. Evans agreed that the Mass. Association of Regional Schools assessment last year showed Hanson has the capacity to afford an override, but have not formed an override committee.

“This is a big deal to the Whitman taxpayer,” Anderson said of the $500,000 difference in Hanson’s favor. “We’re going to tell the fire chief that line items from the Fire Department [are] going to be reduced in order for us to fund the fire department in Hanson. That’s what we’re talking about. It’s $500,000 we don’t have.”

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said he had been supportive of a compromise, but after Evans was rebuffed at a recent meeting by Hanson’s Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, he changed his mind.

“I think we need to say, ‘No, it stops here,’” Kowalski said. “Whitman has always come through.”

Connelly argued that Hanson voters are being misinformed.

“We’ve been the victims of fake news from Hanson, and it’s hurtful,” Kowalski agreed.

Whitman’s budget

During the discussion of Whitman’s Article 2 preparations for Town Meeting, Anderson noted that anticipated local receipts are down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“You’re forecasting how much we’re taking in in things like motor vehicle excise tax in a very difficult economy, meals tax in a situation where the restaurants are on the edge,” he said. “It’s reflected in the fiscal ’21 revenue summary.”

Assuming the town funds everything sought in the Town Meeting warrant, Whitman would “certainly maximize our levy to the point where we’ve spent $582,000 more” and would have to adjust the ambulance fund — among other accounts — to keep the town out of the red, Town Administrator Frank Lynam said. Free cash would have to be used for other expenditures because other available funds would be used for the larger numbers.

“People should know that this is a very bare-bones budget,” Lynam said.

Connelly asked if the budget reflects new realities such as a town pool that may not open for the summer or a library that remains closed to walk-in patrons. She asked if funds from such relatively dormant facilities could be transferred to public safety and other accounts where there is greater need.

“Could we rethink how we’re using our money?” she asked.

Lynam said the funds are essential to the operation of departments, noting there is little savings to be realized. Some, like the Recreation Department, are funded by revolving accounts.

“We’re certainly in uncharted waters,” Anderson said as the discussion moved to municipal salaries. “We have been talking about reining in salaries for while, and I would hope that the sacrifices the town departments are making is recognized throughout all of the departments.” No cost of living adjustments are being considered in the new budget.

He said the Finance Committee has opened up a “really interesting dialog” with the regional school district.

“I think it’s really time that we talk about what kind of commitments they can make in this particular aspect of the budget,” he said.

The Building Facilities and Capital Improvements Committee has not competed its work, either. Anderson said the Finance Committee is working with that panel in order to provide time for them to formulate a complete recommendation on all the capital articles on its matrix.

Outright purchase rather than lease/purchase as well as contracting for replacement value insurance on town-owned vehicles are also being viewed as a way to save money in the long-run.

Should the town approve a Whitman Middle School feasibility study, Lynam said, it makes more sense to borrow the $850,000 than to used free cash — as the state reimburses a portion of that amount. It is also consistent with the recommendations of the Collins Center Capital Improvement Plan recommendations, according to Selectman Justin Evans.

“The regional school budget is really holding us hostage,” Anderson said.

Lynam agreed that the schools and certain fixed costs are the only areas of the budget where Selectmen and the Finance Committee have no control.

The veteran’s benefits account, for example — already in the red — is expected to increase by $48,000.

“Even though we are generally curtailing expenses, Article 2 and our borrowing costs, all of the things that represent raise and appropriate, are going up $1.3 million this year,” Lynam said. “It’s a big number.”

Selectman Dan Salvucci asked why Whitman Library costs are up 18 percent when the library is closed, prompting Lynam to observe that two area towns have furloughed library staff — except for the library director — until September, signaling an intent to remain closed all summer.

“We haven’t addressed that yet, and it’s probably something that should be discussed,” he said.

Anderson suggested the cost of accreditation renewal for the library could be partly responsible for the increase. Connelly also suggested that electronic books being made available as well as use of library WiFi from the parking lot could have an effect.

“People are continuing to borrow books electronically,” Lynam said. “That has no impact on us.”